


Wondrous Love

by fairybell_lena



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Best Friends, Blood and Violence, Character Turned Into Vampire, Dark Magic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Enemies to Friends, F/M, First Kiss, Flashbacks, Frenemies, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Magical Realism, Mild Sexual Content, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Slow Burn, Suffering, Supernatural Elements, Tragic Romance, Trauma, Vampires, Violence, Witchcraft, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:40:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29590134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairybell_lena/pseuds/fairybell_lena
Summary: What if Damon Salvatore had a soulmate before he was turned into a vampire?Set right after the episode when the Salvatore brothers enter the tomb in order to save Katherine. Instead of her, they find a young girl from their past who they both considered dead.Eleanor Fell once used to be best friends with Damon, the one who he truly trusted with everything. What happened to tear them apart? What secrets did she have to hide? Is there a chance to redeem their friendship?PS: Not for Delena lovers.
Relationships: Damon Salvatore & Stefan Salvatore, Damon Salvatore/Original Female Character(s), Elena Gilbert/Damon Salvatore, Elena Gilbert/Damon Salvatore/Stefan Salvatore, Elena Gilbert/Stefan Salvatore, Giuseppe Salvatore/Original Female Character(s), Katherine Pierce/Damon Salvatore, Katherine Pierce/Stefan Salvatore
Comments: 6
Kudos: 11





	1. Back From The Dead

**Author's Note:**

> Hello guys! I really hope that you enjoy reading my work! I have to warn you - English is not my native language, so probably there will be a lot of mistakes, but I just love to try my hand at this! Thank you!
> 
> The work is in progress, so that some facts may change.

Chapter 1 

‘She’s not here!’ a strangled cry escaped his mouth as Damon furiously threw a blood bag at the stone wall splattering its contents on the slippery mossy ground. Dark red, almost black drops burst like fireworks spreading a thick metallic smell in the musty air of the tomb. Suddenly he noticed several bodies start to stir and shuffle in a desperate search for the life-giving liquid. 

A cold wave of despair washed all over him as a simple realization hit him like a sharp stab in the stomach, making him gasp in frustration and boiling rage. Katherine Pierce, the woman he had been blindly chasing for what seemed like an eternity, had never been sealed inside the tomb waiting for the rescue. 

‘We’ve got to get out of here’ Stefan tried to reason with his older brother, who was staring at the darkness with a completely lost look on his face. 

‘How come she’s not here? They locked her up like the rest of them. That doesn’t make any sense!’ The raven-haired vampire cried out in total disbelief. More than 145 years of longing, loneliness, and despair, and it all had been for nothing. His thoughts and images of years lost in vain trying to get her out were sprinting like scared mice in his mind making him almost go mad with self-disgust and sharp pain of betrayal.

‘Damon, if we’re not leaving now, we’re never getting out!’ Stefan tried to grab his brother’s arm in a futile attempt to drag him out. It didn’t really surprise him when Damon violently pushed him away, almost crashing Stefan down on the floor like a broken puppet. 

‘Open your eyes, brother! She’s not worth rotting the whole eternity down here!’ the dark blond vampire hissed, flashing his deep green eyes in a silent plea. 

‘No!’ Damon angrily kicked the dirt on the ground and sharply inhaled when he felt something, or rather somebody, slightly pulling him by his left ankle. ‘What the hell?’ he managed to mutter under his breath, piercing with his widely open icy-blue eyes at the decomposed body lying at his feet. 

Damon was going to boot the intruder right in the face when he heard a faintly familiar voice whispering his name. The vampire fell on his knees and glared intently at the shriveled shape in front of him. It was a woman wearing a battered long-skirt dress covered in a heavy layer of dust. Her desiccated features were hidden by long muddy hair that lay in total disarray and resembled withered grass.

‘It’s you!’ She wheezed almost inaudibly, only for a vampire with magnified senses to hear. 

Completely taken aback, Damon seemed to forget his predicament for a short moment as he stretched out his hand and brushed away the faded strands covering her forehead. 

‘Eleanor?’ he managed to utter as he saw a familiar glint of her blue eyes that were looking at him fondly. 

‘That’s impossible!’ Stefan exclaimed in shock as he rushed forward and stared at the girl he used to know when he was just a human.

‘Stefan! They can hold it much longer!’ he heard Elena cry as she was rushing inside and approaching them with tears on her lovely pale cheeks.

‘Damon, please!’ She begged while trying to make out the scene in front of her.

Paying no attention to her pleas, Damon carefully lifted Eleanor from the ground, surprised by how weightless she felt in his arms. Acting on impulse, he pressed her firmer to his chest and ran outside with a vampire speed, followed by Stefan and Elena right behind him.

It took him a few minutes to get to the Salvatore boarding house, where he gently put the girl on a vintage sofa in the parlor and rushed into the basement to get her some blood which they stored down there.

'Hey, Ellie! Take this.’ Damon pressed the blood bag to her cracked mouth and watched in a mixture of disbelief and awe as she eagerly took the first gulp. Her eyes instantly became bloodshot, and dark grey veins started to protrude around them. Eleanor made a low growling sound in her throat as she hungrily devoured the first bag and then hastily discarded it on the floor. Her fangs elongated as she hissed, ripping the second bag from his grasp and swallowing its contents in three full gulps.

While she was busy satiating her thirst, Damon noticed how her skin color gradually changed from grey to pale pink. Life magically was coming back to her with every sip of blood she took. He was so preoccupied watching this transformation that he barely noticed Stefan entering the room. The younger Salvatore couldn’t believe his own eyes - the last time he saw Eleanor Fell, she was alive and definitely a human. How come she ended up being a vampire locked in a tomb with a magical spell was beyond his understanding.

‘Easy there! We don’t want you to get all bitchy and devour our stash in one go!’ Damon chuckled gloomily, causing the girl to flinch tangibly. A soft smile lit up on her pretty face as she held out her hand and gently caressed his pale cheek.

‘You’re real. How did you know where to find me?’ Eleanor asked softly, tilting her head to one side.

Damon swallowed a huge lump that formed in his throat. Right now, his mind represented a tight bundle of conflicting emotions that he tried hard to escape with all his might. Without uttering a single word, Damon firmly pushed her hand away and gave her a stern look that completely wiped out that dreamy expression of hers.

‘If I had known that you were there, I would have never set my foot in that bloody tomb. Luckily, I didn’t do it for you.’ He pretended not to notice how still and hurt she looked upon hearing his confession and went on with his brutal speech. ‘I must say I’m impressed. Who would have thought that you would literally rise from the dead after all those years and still strongly believe that anyone cared about you?’

‘That’s enough, Damon! You’re stepping way over the line here!’ Stefan raised his voice, appalled by his older brother’s reaction. ‘Don’t you see how disoriented she is? You’ve got to cut her some slack! After all, it’s been years!’

Eleanor’s eyes went wide with shock as she frantically began to examine the unknown surroundings. Everything felt so out of place and unfamiliar to the world she had been used to. The spacious room was brightly lit with strange-looking chandeliers that held no burning candles in them and seemed to fight the darkness by the sheer force of magic. Eleanor cast an apprehensive look at the two brothers, quickly scanning their way-to-modern clothing and unusual haircuts. She started to feel a wave of panic growing in her chest as she rushed to her feet and nervously wet her blood-stained lips.

‘What year is it?’ her voice trembled, making Stefan flinch with pity. He cleared his throat before answering.

‘It’s 2009,’ he finally replied, noticing how all color seemed to drain from her cheeks with his words.

‘No!’ Eleanor pressed a hand to her mouth as if trying to muffle the scream that was ready to escape her lungs. ‘Oh, God! But it means that I spent 145 years in that tomb! It could not be happening! My family...They’re all dead!’ she burst into tears and started to rock from side to side.

‘If by the family you mean the good old papa Salvatore, then rest assured that the bustard kicked the bucket a long time ago. Stefan took care of that.’ Damon angrily spat out and, with ostentatious ease, headed for the counter to pour himself a generous glass of bourbon and swallowed it in one gulp.

Eleanor jerked her head up and glared at him with a mixture of relief and anger.

‘I wasn’t talking about your father. I couldn’t care less about him, and you should know that better than anybody else’ She tried to wipe out the tears that kept flowing from her eyes as she struggled to get a grip on herself. Damon flashed her a strange look, and a devilish smirk appeared on his face.

‘I'd rather doubt that since you willingly married the old man.’

‘As if you ever cared.’ She whispered, closing her eyes shut, hoping to put an end to this awful discussion.

‘You’re right. I never did’ Damon refilled his glass and leisurely strolled to the fireplace. 

Right now, he needed something to keep him busy, and lighting a fire seemed like a nice distraction. The truth is, despite his ruthless words, he had always cared for her. After all, she used to be his only friend… until she betrayed his trust and married Giuseppe Salvatore, which eventually ruined their friendship.

‘What were you doing in the tomb?’ Eleanor asked, still hurt by his words but trying to keep her face straight.

‘I’ve got the same question for you.’ He raised his eyebrows in annoyance. ‘You were supposed to be dead! Oh wait, you actually are!’

‘This isn’t going anywhere!’ Stefan sighed and slowly approached Eleanor as if he was afraid to scare her off. ‘Look, how about I show you to your room where you can put yourself in order and have a rest. Then when you’re ready, we can talk.’

‘Thank you, Stefan.’ She replied, sincerely smiling with her eyes. ‘You’ve always been kind to me. At least I’m happy to know that hasn’t changed.’ Damon only smirked and dramatically rolled his eyes, pouring himself another drink. It was going to be a long night.


	2. It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn

Chapter 2

Eleanor let a soft sigh escape her lips as she contently sank into a hot bath. The young woman closed her burning eyes and finally let the emotions she’d been holding rush over her. She felt lost and completely alone, with no one to fight or care for. Her parents were long gone now. She would never see or hug them again. There would be no goodbyes and farewell kisses. God, she didn’t even know when and why they died. Ellie was overwhelmed with the pain of loss and desperation that threatened to tear her heart apart.

She had nothing left to hold on to. For as long as she could remember, all she ever did was fight for her life, beliefs, family, and love. And now she lost everything: her parents, her power, her humanity, and Damon. Ellie braced herself tightly as a choking sob broke out from her gasping throat. Why didn’t they just let her die that night? Even as a little girl, she never was a quitter - whenever life threw her a new challenge, she was ready to embrace it. It was the only thing that kept her going, the only trait that she was secretly proud of.

Eleanor tried to restrain her grief, knowing quite well that the whole house could easily hear her. But taking control over torrid emotions magnified due to her vampirism turned into fighting a losing battle. The young woman flinched in pain as the piercing spasms started ripping her insides apart. Something was terribly wrong with her. The pain was becoming stronger with each passing second. Her vision became all blurry while she fought desperately not to give in to the darkness that started to envelop her. Elenor let out an agonizing shriek and felt like she was exploding into millions of tiny pieces. The air became thick and electrified. She heard a distant cry and a muffled sound of the crashing glass as all the objects surrounding her floated sharply up to the ceiling.

‘Dammit! Ellie, what the hell is happening? Stop it!’ She felt somebody’s hands on her shoulders. The sensation was so intense that it sent a bright flash of light all over her burning skin, setting everything on fire. Eleanor’s eyes blazed with blue flames as she cried out in pain and blacked out. 

* * *

As Damon was staring at the pale woman lying lifelessly on a bathroom floor, he still couldn’t process what had just happened. The whole room was in a total mess and reeked with smoke as if an earthquake had struck it. Everything was covered with sharp shards of glass, splintered wood, and tile pieces. If he hadn’t been a vampire with accelerated healing powers, he would have been dead by now. No human could have survived a supernatural attack of such great power. Damon thought that after living more than a hundred years, nothing could surprise him. Apparently, he was wrong.

His worried blue eyes quickly scanned Eleanor’s body, trying not to focus on her nakedness. Her face was stained with blood that seemed to be pouring from her eyes, nose, and ears. Other than that, he didn’t notice any other visible injuries. He felt ill at ease with the sight of her naked figure, so Damon grabbed a wide towel that was lying around and covered Ellie with it.

She seemed so petite and young that it reminded him of the time when she was just a girl. Despite her stubbornness, strong will, and competitiveness, Eleanor Fell had always been frail and fragile. Her health was so weak that sometimes she would spend weeks chained to her bed because of another simple cold. However, it had never prevented little Ellie from getting into trouble which caused her parents a lot of distress. Damon smirked as he remembered the time when she would challenge him both physically and intellectually. This girl was a constant pain in the neck which always made him admire and respect her.

The young man gently took her in his arm and carried Ellie to his bedroom, where he lay her on the bed. She still remained unconscious, and it began to worry him. Probably he should have called Stefan, who was busy solving another Elena-related crisis. He even contemplated asking for help from a Bennet witch but briskly decided against it. After all, Bonnie was not one of his loyal fans and hated him, to say the least. Damon furrowed his eyebrows as he covered Eleanor with a warm blanket. He had always wondered what was happening in that pretty head of hers, but up until now, he had no opportunity to find it out.

‘Well, who am I kidding? We all know that I’m no gentleman,’ he drawled and pressed his palm to her icy-cold forehead. It took Damon a few seconds to concentrate as he entered her unprotected mind.

The first thing he saw was an open grassy field covered with fragrant yellow flowers. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, and you could feel its warm rays slightly caressing your skin. Damon heard the sounds of child’s laughter and horses neighing somewhere in the distance. Suddenly he caught a loud shriek, and he abruptly turned his head towards its source. His face went numb as he was taking in the scene in front of him. A young boy looking exactly like a teen version of him was sprawling on his back in the tall grass, his raven horse galloping away. A blond-curly girl hastily dismounted her brown mare and fell to her knees, cautiously pressing her shaking palms to the boy’s cheeks.

‘Damon, can you hear me? Please, don’t be dead! Wake up!’ she pleaded softly, running her fingers through his dark-brown curls. ‘I told you this wicked stud is going to break your neck, you stubborn fool! I swear to God, if you don’t open your eyes, I’ll throttle you!’

Ellie sniffed audibly and bent down to listen to his chest. A warm wave of relief washed over her face as she mumbled something under her breath and started to inspect his body with her hands. The boy groaned in pain when she reached his left leg and immediately passed out.

‘Bloody Hell!’ she exclaimed in shock, covering her mouth with her dirty hands. ‘Your leg must be broken! Now Mr.Salvatore will kill you!’

For a moment, the girl became very still, considering her options seriously. She chewed on her lower lip and stubbornly lifted her chin.

‘I won’t let him hurt you,’ she said confidently and pressed her palms to his wound. Eleanor closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her lips started to move as she whispered unfamiliar words in a foreign language that Damon had never heard. A faint light began to come out of her hands as she was chanting louder and louder. Damon’s eyes widened with bewilderment because he had never broken a bone in his body when he was a human.

Meanwhile, Ellie’s face became white as snow, and her nose started bleeding, but the girl wasn’t going to give up. She continued with her incantation until it left her almost breathless. The moment young Damon abruptly came round, Eleanor collapsed senseless on the ground.

‘Ellie! What happened?’ the boy cried hoarsely, shaking her tenderly. ‘Are you hurt?”

‘I fell off the horse, you genius!’ she muttered with a weak smile on her face and tried to take a sitting position. ‘I’ll be fine, don’t be such a silly goose!’

‘Are you sure? I don’t remember anything!’ Damon cried out in confusion, helping the girl to get up to her feet.

‘That’s probably because you got so scared,’’ she replied merrily, swaying in his arms. ‘You simply can’t bear the thought of anything bad happening to me!’

‘I’m deeply hurt by your false accusations, Miss Fell,’ he resented in mock indignation. ‘Though the possibility of losing your company is a bit disturbing since I won’t have the pleasure of witnessing your annoying face any longer.’

‘Always the gentleman! Ellie sighed wearily, trying to keep a straight face. “I wonder why I keep being friends with you.’

‘Because of my undeniable charm and quick wit, I presume,’ he claimed arrogantly and shot her a wide smile.

‘You wish!’ she pressed her lips in a thin line but burst into laughter as Damon wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

‘Let’s get you home, my fair lady,’ the boy said, masking the concern in his voice.

‘Wait! We should find your horse first.’ Eleanor said nervously. ‘You were not supposed to take him, and your father will be furious.”

‘That’s a given,’ he agreed easily with an unreadable expression on his face. ‘Nothing I haven’t seen or heard, though, besides...’

His words sank in a loud noise as the wind suddenly started to blow violently, and a blinding flash lit everything around.

Damon Salvatore opened his eyes and found a pair of bright blue eyes glaring at him with irritation.

‘Were you just messing with my head?’ Eleanor demanded angrily in a raspy voice.

‘Do not look at me with those big judgy eyes of yours!’ he resented back, piercing her with his scowl to the bed. ‘You’ve got some serious explaining to do with your witchy-voodoo secret!’

‘What are you implying?’ she raised her voice with a pained grimace on her face.

‘Please, you’re not in the position to deny the obvious!’ Damon impatiently ran his hand through his hair. ‘Your little outburst of magic literally razed our guest bedroom to the ground! How’s that even possible?’

Eleanor stared back at him without blinking as she frantically tried to recall what had happened. She clearly remembered the overwhelming emotions that were tearing her apart. And now, when she thought about it, Ellie also recognized that energizing tingling sensation in her limbs. The one she felt before whenever she tried to use her powers.

‘My magic is back!’ she quietly breathed out as a happy smile illuminated her bloodstained features.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With deepest gratitude to anyone who reads it.


	3. Sweeter Than Heaven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you want to listen to the song, here's the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DlkrSLLhlU
> 
> I'm really happy if this story keeps anybody entertained. )))

####  Chapter 3

**_Mystic Falls,_ ** **_1862_ **

Eleanor studied her weary expression in a heavy full-length mirror and straightened the invisible folds on her flowered pale yellow dress. Today was her nineteenth birthday, and her parents decided to throw a fancy reception in her honor, expecting that a nice celebration would lighten their daughter’s sulky mood. Ellie spent the whole morning arranging her goldy locks in the latest fashion, hoping that this trick would make her look better. Eleanor’s sapphire eyes narrowed in suppressed irritation as she took the blush from the dressing table and applied a small amount of it on her sunken cheeks. 

Nothing was going to stand in her way! She intended to enjoy this day to the fullest no matter what. It had been three long, desperate weeks since she tried that vanishing spell which actually worked but left her lying unconscious on the floor. Somehow, every charm she chanted, even something simple like lighting the candles, seemed to suck the life out of her. Ellie could not help but admire the sadistic irony in the fact that such powerful magic was trapped inside her traitorous and puny body. 

Her mother, Honoria Fell, once told her that it was a real miracle and blessing from above that Eleanor survived. Honoria was terrified that her long-hoped-for pregnancy would end in a miscarriage or premature birth. The reality had been much worse - the torturous labor almost cost her and baby’s lives: in the end, Eleanor was born dead with an umbilical cord tied tightly around her neck. 

Overwhelmed by sorrow and pain, Honoria used her magic to bring the baby back to life. The woman soon learned her lesson - such mighty spells were considered to go against the laws of nature and always came with a price, and her daughter was the one to pay it. 

Ellie grew up as a weak and ailing kid that looked a lot younger and smaller than her peers. Her health had become worse and worse with years, ending up in Ellie catching an unknown disease that no doctor could diagnose. The Fells were heartbroken seeing their lovely daughter gradually fade away. Her deteriorating health had become the reason why Eleanor had no suitors - nobody wanted to marry a girl who was about to die. However, for many years her close relationship with Damon Salvatore had been the talk of the town: the noble residents of Mystic Falls strongly believed that their engagement was on the way, which discouraged many young men from pursuing her hand. Eventually, those talks came to an end, but the restless neighbors had to come to the other extremes. Soon enough, evil tongues began to whisper behind their backs all kinds of ridiculous nonsense: starting from haughty disapproval of their unconventional relationship and ending with blatant accusations of adultery. The young people, though, didn’t seem to care at all about the scandalous rumors. Unfortunately, this could not have been said about their displeased parents.

‘Eleanor, honey! The guests have started to arrive. It would be very rude not to welcome them!’ Honoria Fell graciously came into the room and couldn’t help but smile at the young woman in front of her. 

‘Sweetheart! You look lovely!’ she cast her an approving glance fighting back the tears that were stinging her beautiful blue eyes that carried the same amount of pride and strength as her daughter’s. 

‘Mom, please. I look like a ghost,’ Ellie puffed rolling her eyes.

‘Then you’re the most beautiful ghost I’ve seen,’ Mrs. Fell retorted, raising her eyebrow suggestively. ‘We better hurry. The Gilberts are already in the parlor, and we definitely do not want to miss the arrival of the Salvatore family’. 

Eleanor lowered her eyes and cleared her throat.

‘Do you think he will come?’ she asked matter-of-factly. 

‘Not even wild horses could stop him,’ her mother sighed with the note of discontent in her voice.

‘Why are you so hostile to Damon, mother? Ellie asked quietly. ‘He is my dearest and closest friend. He is the only one who doesn’t treat me like the fragile being I am!’

‘I know, dear!’ Honoria exclaimed defensively. ‘That’s what I’m afraid of! The boy is completely reckless and does everything to defy his father!’

‘You have no right to bring Mr. Salvatore into this!’ Eleanor cried out, causing the objects in her bedroom to shake a bit. ‘ You know perfectly well how he treats his own children, especially his oldest son! You’ve seen it! Besides, Damon would never let anything happen to me!’

Honoria went furious and made an abrupt movement with her hand closing the door shut with a thundering sound.

‘Why are you so sure?’ she demanded, keeping her voice down. ‘It’s not that he owes you anything! Clearly, he does not care enough to ask for your hand!’

‘Here we go again! Why are you so obsessed with the idea of marrying me off? I trust Damon because he is the man of his word!’ Ellie said, lifting her chin defiantly. ‘Besides, he swore on his blood!’

‘What?’ Honoria stared at her daughter as if she had grown two heads. ‘He did what?’

‘Actually, we both did,’ Eleanor smirked slyly. 

‘Are you insane, child?’ Mrs. Fell pressed a shaking hand to her chest. ‘Have you got any idea what you have done? Blood vows are almost unbreakable, especially between people who already feel as connected as you are’.

‘Of course, I knew. That’s how I’m sure of him. I trust Damon with my life,’ the girl replied readily and raised her shoulders adamantly. ‘Now, let’s go downstairs. You know how rude it is to keep the guests unattended’.

Moving graciously, Eleanor went past her mother, that was standing still with a lost expression on her anguished face. The girl pushed the feeling of guilt deep inside and hurried to the staircase. She suddenly felt light-headed and had to grab the railing tightly to prevent her from tumbling down. Eleanor took a steadying breath and started to ascend the stairs searching with her eyes for a familiar one-sided grin. An infectious smile lit up her features as her gaze met with the warm eyes the color of the dancing sky. 

‘Miss Fell, may I say how breathtaking you look today,’ Damon said, his smile reaching his voice. ‘Can I have the honor of accompanying you to the guests?’ he added, offering Ellie his arm, which she readily held on to.

‘Mr. Salvatore, the pleasure is all mine,’ she retorted with a chuckle, batting her long eyelashes.

‘Are you ready to stir up this prudent house of old bats?’ The young man whispered in her ear.

‘I thought you would never ask,’ Eleanor breathed out, trying not to laugh. 

‘I suggest you leave all your dances only to me, and then, after we cause enough commotion, we can finally escape and start to have some real fun.’ Damon said in a low tone leading the girl into a candlelit parlor.

‘How about we surprise them with a little performance as well?’ Ellie raised her eyebrow mischievously. 

Damon cast her a surprised look and wondered in fake bewilderment:

‘You’re a little daredevil, aren't you, Miss Fell? What has that devilish mind of yours come up with?’

‘You’ll have to follow my lead,’ the girl smirked, staring at him fondly. 

“Feisty and bossy,' he murmured playfully, his eyes blazing with blue sparkles. ‘Miss Fell, I think I might be a bad influence on you.”

‘Well, you should stop saying that. Otherwise, I will have to admit it, and my reputation will be officially ruined,’ she said, her pale cheeks flushing a lovely shade of pink.

Damon threw her a beaming smile, and Ellie could swear that it was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. 

‘Here comes the birthday girl!’ her father cried out excitedly as he approached his daughter and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. He was a handsome, stout man with an open face and blond hair a shade darker than Eleanor’s. Known for his short-tempered character and bubbly personality, he was a man who stood firmly by his morals and cared deeply for his family. 

‘How are you feeling, my sweet lamb?’ Thomas asked quietly, only for Eleanor to hear.

‘Never been better!’ the girl chirped cheerfully and put on a dignified expression as the guests started to line up in order to congratulate her. 

After the official part of the reception came to an end and the boring dinner was over, Eleanor was more than happy to let Damon take her by a trembling hand and lead the girl to the small ballroom where he swirled her in a thrilling whirlpool of intricate dance movements that almost took her breath away. She felt so light and secure in his strong arms that were holding her almost reverently. That was the Damon she knew so well: protective, carefree, and charming. Ellie cherished these moments when he would let his guard down, welcoming her into his world. She knew well that it was almost impossible to earn his trust, and Eleanor was happy to be the one he did confide in. To her, Damon Salvatore was everything she could never be: a free spirit not bound by any conventions.

‘You waltz divinely, Mr. Salvatore!’ she grinned cheerfully, her eyes sparkling with joy. 

‘Only because I have found an equal match, my dear Miss Fell,’ Damon replied solemnly as he swayed her gently across the floor, maneuvering graciously among the other couples. ‘And since it’s your birthday and I’m all chivalrous today, I have got to ask if there is anything else that your proud heart desires? 

‘Actually, I would love to get a breath of fresh air,' she answered exasperatedly.

‘I’m all ears,’ he narrowed his eyes wryly.

Eleanor darted him a frisky glance and went to the other side of the ballroom where the band was playing. She gave the musicians a quick nod, and the melody gradually went down. The girl smiled demurely and addressed her guests.

‘I want to thank everyone for this wonderful evening!’ Ellie managed to sound sincere. ‘I hope you don’t mind a short break during which Mr.Salvatore and I are going to offer you a bit of entertainment.’

Damon smirked disbelievingly, approaching his friend with a cocky expression.

‘Please take a glass of champagne and be ready to enjoy our small performance,’ Eleanor stated blatantly, noticing her mother’s disgruntled look. ‘Damon, would you please accompany me on the piano?’ she asked innocently, taking a seat on the stool in front of the musical instrument. 

‘With pleasure, Miss Fell,’ the young man answered loudly and sat beside her, his shoulder brushing hers reassuringly. ‘What are we playing to make complete fools of ourselves?’

Ellie felt her heart begin to beat faster as she answered with uncharacteristic shyness, ‘What wondrous love is this.’

Damon studied her with an unreadable expression.

‘Hmm,’ he finally muttered as his fingers touched the keys, lightly playing first notes of a Christian hymn. 

Eleanor put her trembling hands on her knees and closed her eyes. She felt her spirit lift high to the sky as she started to sing in a clear ringing voice.

_ ‘What wondrous love is this, _

_ O my soul, O my soul! _

_ What wondrous love is this, _

_ O my soul! _

_ What wondrous love is this _

_ That caused the Lord of bliss _

_ To bear the dreadful curse _

_ For my soul, for my soul, _

_ To bear the dreadful curse _

_ For my soul.’ _

The room went completely still as the guests stared at them in total indignation. Only Stefan Salvatore, a boy of fifteen years old, failed to notice the overall reprobation. He couldn’t take his proud glance off his older brother who had always been his role model. That was the moment when Stefan promised himself that one day he would also find his true love. Meanwhile, Ellie continued with her passionate singing that made Damon’s heart skip a beat or two.

_ ‘And when from death I’m free, _

_ I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on; _

_ And when from death I’m free, _

_ I’ll sing on. _

_ And when from death I’m free, _

_ I’ll sing and joyful be; _

_ And through eternity, _

_ I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on; _

_ And through eternity, _

_ I’ll sing on.’ _

When he played the last chords, Damon could not help but feel a sharp prick of annoyance in his chest. He and Ellie had always been, as his father liked to put it, ‘two peas in a pod.’ They were both obstinate, confrontational, and mischievous. But Eleanor had never been this heedless before. Always level-headed and reasonable, she was the one to restrain him from rapid actions and overreacting. Something was changing in her, and he didn’t know whether to embrace or resent this. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Damon saw Giuseppe Salvatore clench his jaw in anger as he grabbed Stefan and stormed outside, mumbling something inaudibly. The bewildered guests clapped their hands unenthusiastically, exchanging sour glances.

‘Well, this was...ahem...splendid, my dear,’ Mr.Fell blunted nervously. ‘Gentlemen, how about a nice shot of scotch while the ladies take their time discussing their husbands.’ With that, he cleared his throat and led the male guests to his cabinet.

‘Meet me in our usual place in an hour,’ Ellie heard Damon whisper in her ear as he stood up and followed them. 


	4. Only If For A Night

Chapter 4

_Mystic Falls 1862_

It was a lovely summer night with millions of stars twinkling in the pitch-black sky. A cool breeze touched his cheeks lightly as Damon Salvatore was staring at the still waters of a muddy pond hidden from the prying eyes by the tall Southern oaks. The young man took a trendy linen jacket off and rolled up the sleeves of his snow-white shirt. He smiled contently as he heard the sounds of the rustling grass followed by the cautious little steps.

‘Damon, where are you?’ he heard Ellie whispering behind his back.

‘Over here,’ he answered loudly, taking the girl by surprise as she almost jumped out of her skin with fright.

‘Jesus Christ, Damon! Never do that again!’ Eleanor scolded indignantly and sat next to Damon, who was grinning widely.

‘Scaredy-cat,’ he sang teasingly. ‘Ouch, that was brutal, Miss Fell! What have I done to deserve this?’ Damon screamed in feigned pain as she smacked him on the head.

‘Oh, please! That will teach you a lesson!’ she stated instructively, raising her eyebrows.

For a few moments, they sat quietly, breathing in the pungent smell of the withered grass and damp soil. The young man leaned back over his elbows and hummed the tune of the song he was playing just a few hours ago. Eleanor smiled softly and lay on the grass, gazing at the stars thoughtfully.

‘Do you ever dream about leaving this place?’ she questioned suddenly in a tense whisper.

‘Why do you ask?’ Damon wondered, looking at the girl attentively.

‘Because I want you to,’ Ellie answered honestly, avoiding his piercing gaze. ‘There is a whole big world out there. So many interesting people to meet… So many innocent girls’ hearts to break,’ she chuckled softly, turning on her side to face him. ‘So many wonderful places to see. And I want you to enjoy it. I really do, more than anything.’

‘And what about you? Don’t you want to leave this forsaken town too?’ Damon asked, sounding both flattered and surprised.

Ellie looked down sheepishly and spoke barely audibly:

‘It doesn’t matter what I want since I’m going to die soon.'

He inhaled sharply as if somebody had hit him in the stomach.

‘Don’t you dare say this,’ Damon exclaimed bitterly, making her wince in pain.

‘But we never talk about this,’ she cried out pleadingly, hot tears stinging her eyes. ‘You can’t avoid this topic forever! I am so happy and grateful that I’ve been blessed with your friendship! You have always treated me like an equal, making me leave all the fears and worries behind. When I am with you, it seems that nothing can harm me. But deep down inside, we both know it’s a lie. I’m dying, Damon. And there’s nothing you can do about it.’

‘You can come with me,’ he answered coarsely, strangled by strong emotions. ‘I can take you anywhere you want.’

Ellie smiled thankfully and caressed his cheek, the way she always did to show her affection. Suddenly Damon felt his heart sink when he had imagined that soon there would be no one to soothe him like this. He squared his jaw decisively and tried to calm down. God, he always cared too much, always felt everything too vividly. Sometimes he thought that it was going to be a reason for his grand demise and eventual death.

‘I wish I could, ' she chuckled warmly, staring into his burning eyes with her blue orbs.

‘But I can’t leave my parents. They’ve done so much for me, and I couldn’t bear the thought of causing them any more suffering. But you, my sweet Damon, should take your chance and be happy. So I’ll ask you for a favor. Leave this place and live your life to the fullest, for the both of us.’

Damon flashed his eyes angrily as he pushed her palm away, grabbed Ellie firmly by the shoulders, and shook her roughly.

‘You have no right to ask me to do this. Do you really think I don’t understand what you’re trying to achieve? Talking about your imminent death and my wild dreams that you, by the way, used to share? Oh, I bet you believed it would be so easy for you to gallantly send me away while you rot in here imagining how I left you with no remorse or regret to enjoy my new-found happiness with you out of the picture? Damn you, if you thought you could so effortlessly give up and cast aside your feelings for me!’

Damon was standing so close to her that he could actually feel her heart pounding as she stared at him with her eyes wide open in shock.

‘I’m sorry,’ Eleanor breathed out guiltily. ‘I’m so terribly sorry! I didn’t want this to happen, I swear! I just don’t want to lose you!’

The raven-haired man squinted his eyes, scrutinizing the girl who was obviously rambling in distress.

‘I’m not sure I get your meaning. First, you tell me to leave. Then you admit that you don’t want to lose me. So will you please help me understand you?’

Ellie took a deep breath as she raised her chin determinedly as if she was going to jump from the cliff.

‘I might have developed some feelings for you,’ she blurted out, blushing furiously.

‘And it is bad because?’ Damon wondered curiously, tilting his head to one side.

‘Because you obviously don’t feel the same, and now you will think that I’m a pathetic fool. Soon you’ll start to pity me, and I hate that!’ Eleanor exclaimed with irritation as she tried to break free from his embrace.

He smiled incredulously as he touched her chin with his fingers forcing her to look him in the eye.

‘You are a pathetic fool, Miss Fell,’ he whispered affectionately, leaning closer to her. ‘For falsely believing that you know me so well.’

His soft lips gently brushed hers and, meeting no resistance, Damon deepened the kiss, his body tingling with anticipation. The feel of her frame leaning passionately on his, as his arms wrapped around her, seemed almost surreal. Damon could only focus on how addictive Eleanor felt against his mouth, answering with such longing and sensuality that it made his blood boil.

‘You’re making a mistake, ' Ellie managed to mutter as she gasped for breath, her lips wondrously swollen.

‘Let me prove you wrong,’ Damon murmured as he stroked her hair reassuringly, sending shivers down her spine. His mouth was instantly back at hers, drawing her fervently in a long kiss that made her forget about everything.

* * *

The next week turned out to be surprisingly uneventful, and Eleanor, who was expecting at least a word of reprimand from her parents, felt highly distraught. She would spend hours walking alone in the fields, hoping to meet Damon, but he never showed up. The girl even went to the Salvatore mansion and tried to pass him a note, but the butler informed her that the whole family was away on business and they were not to come back in two months. Ellie was devastated by the news, to say the least. Damon had not warned her about his hasty departure, which meant only one thing - he hadn’t been aware as well. Something bad must have happened, and Ellie was growing restless, her magic running out of control.

Her parents, on the other hand, started to behave very strangely. They remained very composed, even somber at times, and every now and then, Eleanor would notice her father sharing a secretive look with Honoria. It was very much like the calm before the storm, and a sense of impending doom was making her frantic and nauseous. 

One rainy evening when Ellie was lying awake reading a new scandalous French novel which her mother ordered directly from Paris, she heard a quiet knock on her bedroom door.

‘Ellie, there’s something we need to talk about,’ Honoria Fell said, her eyes swollen from tears.

The girl rushed from her bed to hug her mother tightly.

‘What has happened?’ she implored humbly, wiping out the tears from the woman’s cheeks.

‘Oh, honey!’ Honoria cried out hysterically, wringing her hands. ‘We are broke!’

‘What? But how?’ Ellie blundered out in shock.

‘Your father invested all of our money in coal mines. There’s been a series of unfortunate accidents, and they had to shut everything down. And now we lost all our savings that your dad had spent on paying off his debts. We can’t afford to keep this house any longer. We’ll have to sell it soon.’

‘Mom, everything is going to be fine,’ Eleanor answered hotly, a feeling of dread burning in her throat. ‘Dad will think of something. He always does!’

‘This is not all’ her mother admitted squeezing Ellie’s hand comfortingly. ‘I have arranged for your departure to North Carolina. 

Eleanor gasped in horror as she stared blankly at the woman in front of her.

‘You didn’t!’ she screamed indignantly, her hands trembling. ‘Why? I don’t understand why you would do that!’

Honoria felt her chest constrict tightly as she saw her only child lost in anguish. She bit her lip hard, trying to compose herself for the upcoming storm.

‘My distant aunt lives there. Her name is Catriona Naismith. I haven’t seen her since you were born, but we have never stopped keeping in touch. She is also a witch and a powerful one. Auntie Catriona claims to know how to teach you to control your magic, so it doesn't feed on you. She can save you!’

‘What are you saying, mom?’ Ellie burst out sobbing. ‘I can’t leave. Not now. I can’t leave him!’

Mrs. Fell walked to her daughter, who was pacing nervously back and forth, and embraced her gently, stroking her back soothingly.

‘I know, sweetheart. I know. It will always come down to him,’ Honoria sighed heavily. ‘It was inevitable from the start. But as long as you remain so sick and frail, you will never agree to marry him. Don’t look so surprised. I know well what’s happening in your little head. After all, you’re my daughter. And the women in our family despise their own weakness. That’s why you have to stay strong if not for yourself, then for him.’

‘But he will never forgive me,’ Eleanor sobbed mournfully.

‘If he loves you, he will,’ Honoria said sternly. ‘I disapprove of your choice, but I promise you if Damon is your fate, you can’t run from it. Besides, I am sure he would be happy to know that nothing threatens your life. Above all, you are his best friend, and he cares deeply for you.’

‘Can I leave when Damon comes back home?’ Ellie looked at her mother pleadingly.

‘I’m sorry, dear. We’re running out of time. Every new day can be your last one. You must leave tomorrow,’ Mrs. Fell felt her heart tear apart as she hugged her child tightly.

‘Can’t you come with me?’ Ellie asked hoarsely.

‘If only I could, I would never leave you alone,’ Honoria confessed and planted a warm kiss on her daughter’s forehead. ‘But Catriona has been very vehement about you doing this on your own. And since she is the only one who knows the secret to your healing, I’m left with no other choice but to let you go.’

The girl sniffed dolefully, her heart fluttering as she looked into her mother’s eyes fretfully.

‘What will happen to you and dad?’

‘We will be fine,’ Mrs. Fells promised her with confidence she didn’t really have, praying to God that she would see her daughter again. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, guys! I really hope you liked this chapter.  
> I would be thrilled to read your comments!  
> XO, XO )))


	5. Don't Forsake Me. Part 1

Chapter 5

‘Are you sure I don’t look like a trollop?’ Ellie questioned sarcastically and carefully examined her reflection with a most outraged expression.

She was wearing a navy-blue silk sleeveless top with a double V-neck and black cotton leggings accompanied by black leather sneakers. The outfit really emphasized all the curves of her feminine figure, showing off her slender legs, girlish waist, and delicate breasts. Damon gazed at her through half-closed eyes admitting wryly that Eleanor Fell was still quite a lovely sight to see.

‘As if you have seen one! For the hundredth time, I’m telling you that’s how women wear it in the twenty-first century!’ Damon rolled his eyes impatiently and, with a groan, collapsed on the bed so that he could have a better look at her behind.

After Eleanor had literally kicked him out from his own bedroom, ranting about rules of decency, she ordered him to bring her some fresh clothes so that she could wear something less revealing than a towel. Damon remembered that some of Lexi's things were still piled up in the closet. The vampire felt no remorse when he decided to borrow her clothes, not that the dead girl would need them in the nearest future.

‘All I’m saying, isn’t it too tight?’ Eleanor asked indecisively, spinning in front of the mirror. ‘I mean, you can easily picture my body as if I were totally naked. Mom would be appalled!’

‘I've seen better,’ he replied, keeping his tone disinterested.

‘Since when have you become such a cad?’ Ellie wondered, propping her hands on her hips.

Damon had no chance to answer as he heard the rustling noise of an approaching car.

‘Stefan’s here,’ he gave her a lopsided grin and headed for the staircase. ‘Time to tell your story, Sabrina. Better be a good one!’

‘Who, for god’s sake, is Sabrina?’ Ellie wrinkled her nose and stuck out a tongue after she heard his mocking laughter coming from downstairs.

Her annoyance quickly faded to wariness. Among the sounds of two male voices quarreling in the distance, she could distinctly hear a steady beat of a human heart. A sweet scent of warm blood reached her nostrils, making Eleanor's head spin in anticipation. Her face acquired a predatory expression, and her fangs elongated, causing her nerves to prickle with excitement. Blindly following her vampire instincts, the girl rushed downstairs, thinking only about one thing - an overwhelming desire to kill. Before she could process what was happening, Ellie heard a high-pitched girly shriek as her sharp fangs had punctured a throbbing vein on somebody’s neck. The first drops of blood on her tongue made the vampire almost groan with ecstasy. The next thing she felt was dull, numbing pain in her side as an invisible force had thrown her on a massive wooden table.

‘Now Eleanor, this is not the way to greet our guest,’ Damon scorned, cocking his eyebrow. “Bad vampire!’

‘On my god! Elena, are you OK?’ Stefan rushed to the brown-haired girl and studied her wounded neck carefully. ‘It’s fine. She didn’t take much, just a few drops,’ he sighed with relief and smiled at her gently.

‘Is that supposed to make me feel better?’ Elena exclaimed, pressing the puncture with her palm. ‘What the hell is wrong with her?’

‘Katherine?’ Ellie swallowed hard, clenching her fists in suppressed rage. Her bloodshot red eyes turned into blazing blue fireballs, and the air suddenly became thick and electrified, making all the objects in the room shake violently.

‘Huston, we have a problem,’ Damon pressed his lips together, gazing at the tiny blond girl who was creating all the havoc. ‘Shit, here we go again. Keep Elena safe, little brother.’

Without wasting any more time, he stormed forward and faced Eleanor, his pupils dilated with curiosity rather than fear. His hands gently squeezed her shoulders, sending uncontrollable impulses down their tense bodies. The sensation was almost rapturous, and Damon could swear he felt his dead heart drumming wildly in euphoria as new gusts of power flowed into his veins, magnifying every sense with magic. Ellie gasped, flashing her bright eyes at him in recognition.

‘Ellie, listen to me. She is not Katherine,’ Damon said calmly, stressing each word. ‘Her name is Elena Gilbert.’

Eleanor focused on his handsome face and on what he was trying to convey to her confused consciousness. The words weren't making any sense, but she believed him. After all those years of deceit, sorrow, and betrayal, the witch still wanted to trust him. She inhaled deeply, feeling his strong presence with every fiber of her soul. Her magic circulated freely through their bodies as if they were communicating vessels, casting sparks to their raw nerves. Ellie gave him a captivating smile, swirling in the ocean of undisclosed emotions. Suddenly a loud rattling of a falling bookcase made her flinch. 

That instant, everything went still, and Damon almost moaned with regret. He averted his bewildered gaze, unconsciously drawing her intoxicating smell. The vampire wondered what her blood must have tasted like and shook his head slightly to drive away from this obsessive thought. All of a sudden, he felt vulnerable and exposed. ‘Damn those witches and their supernatural sensuality,’ he cursed to himself, stepping aside.

‘I guess the crisis is over,’ he cleared his throat, turning his head to Stefan and Elena, who both were staring at them with gaping jaws. ‘I believe we all need a drink.’

Stefan nodded speechlessly and pulled his girlfriend to her feet, leading them to the couch. Ellie studied the brown-eyed girl cautiously and, after a moment of hesitation, decided to join everybody else. As soon as they sat down, Damon poured each a full glass of whiskey and collapsed on the armchair facing the crowd.

‘So, you’re the one we found in the tomb yesterday. Who are you?’ Eleana finally broke the silence, addressing the blond vampire.

‘Her name is Eleanor Salvatore, nee Fell. Or how I prefer to call her - an evil stepmother,’ Damon wedged in, without letting Ellie get a word in.

‘I didn’t know your father got married for the second time!’ Elena remarked, rounding her eyes in genuine surprise.

‘Because it never mattered,’ Damon sharply cut her out. ‘We all thought that she had died in a church fire. However, I’ve got to say that we never actually found her body. That fire destroyed everything to the ground. So what the hell happened, Ellie?’

Ellie hummed softly, a tear in her eye.

‘I’m a witch,’ she whispered, biting the inside of her cheek. ‘I descend from a very ancient family of Scottish witches. Back in the seventeenth century, nearly all of my coven were persecuted during the witch trials, and those who survived fled the country and settled in Louisiana.’

Stefan brooded his forehead and leaned forward, fascinated by her story.

‘So you were born with those powers?’ he simply stated.

‘Yes and no,’ Ellie stared at the floor, brushing a free strand of hair behind her ear. ‘I was born dead, so my mother summoned the souls of dead witches with a forbidden spell to bring me back to life. It worked,’ she chuckled gloomily, chewing her lower lip violently. ‘But ever since then, my body became a vessel for all their powers. It was more than I could bear. It frightened me.’

‘That’s why you were always so sick?’ Stefan noted softly.

‘That’s what my mother thought,’ Eleanor drank from her glass, a lonely tear falling down her cheek. ‘She always believed that every magic spell had a price. So she thought that my incurable disease was the result of her violating the laws of nature. But my distant aunt told me the truth. It was my magic that kept me alive, fed me my strength. I was born terminally ill, and if I were an ordinary child, I would have died.’

‘We were friends for more than fifteen years, and yet I don’t remember you ever mentioning your aunt,’ Damon tilted his head, a pang of hurt in his eyes.

‘Wait, you two were friends?’ Elena shot a surprised glance at him. ‘I thought you didn’t have any friends.’

‘Actually, I believe we were best friends,’ Ellie remarked timidly and gave Damon a sad look. ‘We used to share everything, and you are still hurt that I have kept my secret away from you. I hope you can forgive me one day.'

‘We’ll see,’ he blinked, taken aback by her sincerity. ‘I still want to hear about your wicked auntie, Goldilocks.’

‘Do you remember my nineteenth birthday, or rather our meeting at the pond after it?’ she asked instead, wiping away the tears that had started streaming down her face.

Damon simply nodded because he suddenly lost all the courage to speak. The memory of their kiss still haunted him in his dreams.

‘I was expecting you to pay me a visit the next day and the day after that. But you never came,’ Ellie sounded so downhearted that Elena immediately understood that there was more than lost friendship to their story.

‘Yes, I remember now!’ Stefan exclaimed, interrupting her in the mid-sentence. ‘Father’s uncle had passed away, so we had to attend the funeral and later stayed to deal with his last will. Back then, traveling took a bit longer. We came back only a few months later, but you had already left Mystic Falls. Damon was heartbroken! Your parents explained that they had sent you for treatment in a nursing home somewhere in the North. Two years later, you came back as good as new and married our father, is that right?’

‘Except there was no nursing home?’ Elena chimed in, trying to keep her excitement at bay.

‘How about you two shut up and let the all-mighty Zelda finish her story? Damon snapped irritably. ‘Seriously! And they call me the impatient one! So what happened after we left?’

Eleanor felt sheepish and fought a sudden urge to run away from his scrutinizing glare. However, she tilted her head willfully and straightened her shoulders. Time had come to come clean. She had always feared that moment, imagining his immediate reaction. Now she had nothing to lose.

‘I knew that something terrible had happened because you left without a word.’

‘Hang on, witchy! That’s not true! I wrote you a letter,’ Damon stared daggers at her.

‘Good to hear, but I didn’t get one,’ Ellie shrugged her shoulders. ‘Not that I blamed you or anything. I knew it wasn’t your fault. My Damon, I mean the Damon I knew, would never do anything to hurt me.’

Elena widened her eyes so much that the whites showed: never ever had she imagined living up to the day to hear somebody referring to the murderous sarcastic vampire as “my Damon”. She felt a hot prick of jealousy in her chest, which took her by complete surprise, and the girl leaned closer to Stefan, who immediately put his arm around her back protectively.

‘Anyway, two weeks later, my mother broke the news that our family went bankrupt. Moreover, she found someone who could help me take control over my magic so that it would stop killing me, and that was how I ended up in Northern Carolina under the close supervision of my great-great-aunt, Catriona. She was strongly against anyone finding out who we really were, so Auntie Catriona insisted on keeping it a secret. She was a very strict old lady and the most ruthless teacher.’ Ellie rubbed her forehead and squinted her eyes, contemplating over something.

‘It is still hard to talk about what she did to me,’ she finally told Damon. ‘ But I want you to understand. So I’m going to show you, all of you.’

Eleanor concentrated hard on her memories and began to chant the words of an ancient spell that her aunt had taught her. Elena felt a slight wave of dizziness pick her up as the room's shape started to change rapidly. She exchanged a worried look with Stefan, who was as much taken aback as all the rest of them but relaxed a bit when he squeezed her palm reassuringly.

It seemed like time stood still: Elena could see a spacious room decorated tastefully with old-fashioned Victorian furniture. Right in the middle, by the blazing fireplace, there stood two women wearing long puffy dresses, which accentuated their slim waists and high bosoms. The older woman with long ginger curls and brown eyes was towering over a tiny blond girl she easily identified as Eleanor. Only this human version of hers looked much weaker and defenseless, with sunken, pale cheeks and big dark shadows under her eyes.

‘So, you have disobeyed my orders! Again!’ Catriona screamed angrily, flaring her nostrils. ‘If you try to run away one more time, you stupid little child, I will lock you up in the attic forever!’

‘I’m not your prisoner!’ Ellie shouted back bravely. ‘I hate it here! I want to go home!’

‘You will not speak to me like that!’ the red-headed woman pointed her finger at the girl, and she suddenly started to choke.

‘I’m sick and tired of your misbehavior! So I am going to establish a set of some ground rules! Rule number one, obviously, no more escaping! You cannot fend for yourself, let alone travel like white trash! You have no idea what men would crave to do with such a pretty little dove as you!'

'Rule number two, you will respect my authority and do exactly what I say and when I say it! And finally, rule number three. If I see one more letter to that precious Damon Salvatore of yours, I will not only destroy it again, but I will also erase all your memories of him with the snap of my fingers. A witch should know better than to trust her life to some man!’

Ellie stretched out her right hand and sent a sparkling blue fireball that threw the older witch on her back, making her cry out with pain.

‘He is not like the rest of them,’ the blond girl wheezed, rubbing her throat.

Catriona got to her feet shakily and burst out laughing, the joy never reaching her calculating eyes.

‘Honey, they are all the same!’ she drawled bitterly, straightening her dress. ‘If only you knew how many witches were slaughtered because they fell in love! Men follow only their selfish needs, and they will sacrifice you to the greatest good if that suits their purpose. They are like big fat moths that are drawn to the brightest of flames. Once that flame dies out, they fly away in search of a new one until it burns the fools to ashes. Your boy is just the same! Before you even realize it, he will find a new pretty face to worship, and you will be left with nothing but your ruined pride’.

Suddenly the vision became all blurry and started to shapeshift like in a spinning kaleidoscope. The young people found themselves in a dusty basement, badly lit with half-melted candles placed in the form of a circle. Damon squinted his eyes and saw Eleanor’s body outstretched on the muddy floor. She looked so frightened and real that he had to suppress an inner urge to run up to save her. Ellie was wearing only a plain nightgown. Her breathing came out in convulsive gasps, but the girl remained silent and immobile.

‘I must say you are a hard nut to crack. I had to apply a transfixing spell to constrain you’, the red-haired witch said, sounding almost proud. ‘The more we practice, the better you become. And your powers, they are tremendous! There is still one problem: you fear too much to let go. Magic is Chaos, and it has the divine right to destroy and create. There are no rules, no stupid conventions to control it! Everything your mother told you is just a bunch of nonsense some weak witches came up with to restrain those who can manage Chaos, the ones like yourself! However, your body for sure won’t manage it, so we have to make you more powerful. You are lucky because I happen to know just the right spell.’

The hair on Damon’s neck prickled as he felt the strong presence of another vampire in the basement. He saw a tall, muscular man with short brown hair and high cheekbones. He was dressed according to the latest fashion in an impeccable dark suit and polished dress shoes.

‘I have no intention to doubt your abilities, Miss Naismith. But are you sure that this spell will not harm the girl?’ the vampire asked in a deceptively pleasant voice. ‘She is too precious.’

‘Oh, it sure damn will. In the long run. Believe me, Elijah. It’s the only way.’ Catriona sighed, looking at Ellie tenderly. ‘I have tried reasoning with her, but she’s just so headstrong! Eleanor is not ready to let her powers consume her yet. After all, she is nothing but a sick child, an abomination of nature. If only I could possess all that magic flowing in her veins, which is capable of destroying and restoring her at the same time! A perfect balance! You, on the other hand, want to turn her into a weapon. Such a waste!’

Elijah pursed his lips, a slight frown on his noble forehead.

‘I’m keeping my part of the deal. I tell Klaus that the whole bloodline of Naismith witches is wiped off the face of the earth. And you provide me with a descendant of an Original witch. Well, I kept my word. Now it is your turn,’ he said with a composed look on his handsome face.

‘And what if I call off our deal?’ Catriona clenched her fists.

‘Then I will have to tell my brother about your whereabouts,’ Elijah replied quietly, coming closer to her. ‘He’ll rip your hearts out before you even manage to summon your powers.’

‘You know that it’s going to take a long time for the spell to work its magic. She will have to go through personal hell until she fulfills her destiny,’ Catriona spat, glaring at him defiantly. ‘Only immense emotional pain can turn her into an Original witch.’

‘We all have to sacrifice something for the greater good,’ Elijah spread his arms helplessly. ‘And I have all the eternity at my feet.’

‘Let it be your way!’ the witch surrendered, grating her teeth. ‘But once she turns off her humanity, there will be nothing to stop her. And then I’ll rejoice because she will destroy you all’.

‘I guess I'll have to wait and see,’ the vampire retorted with a sly smile. ‘Sadly, you won’t live up to that moment.’

Catriona turned away abruptly and summoned her powers. She pressed her sparkling palms to Ellie's temples and started to whisper an ancient Celtic incantation. The girl’s eyes stared at her pleadingly, but the witch was relentless. With the last uttered syllable, Eleanor screamed in agony as blood started to flow from her ears.

‘Hush, my sweet lamb,’ her aunt soothed in a low voice. ‘If only we could change our future, but it’s too late. There’s no turning back. Elijah, now!’ she commanded.

This instant, the vampire was at Ellie’s side, pressing his bloodstained wrist to her open mouth.

‘Drink, my child,’ he said, gently caressing her cheek.

He bent over to her closely, with a warm smile lighting up his face, and planted a weightless kiss on her flushed forehead. ‘I’m so sorry, love,’ he whispered. 'But you are the only thing I've got.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you think, guys? ))) The chapter turned out to be longer, so I decided to break it into 2 parts. I feel so excited writing this work, as it really gives me a unique opportunity to practice my English and let my imagination run wild. Thank God for small mercies!  
> I didn't intend to mess with the Originals yet, but somehow I ended up doing it anyway. I must confess that apart from Damon, Elijah was my favorite character, so I'm planning on a lot of action involving this guy.  
> PS: I have no idea where the story is going, so please don't be mad!  
> Love you all!


	6. Don't Forsake Me. Part 2

Chapter 6

‘That’s it?’ Damon cried out when suddenly the vision faded away as unexpectedly as it began, leaving him with an unpleasant feeling in his head. ‘Don’t tell me you're gonna end the craziest episode in your life with a cheesy cliffhanger!’

Ellie stared at him with a startled expression, her face washed blank with confusion.

‘I...What do you mean?’ she stuttered and squinted her eyes in annoyance as a small smile played on his lips.

‘I beg your pardon, grandma. Sometimes I forget how really ancient and ignorant you are,’ Damon replied, looking very pleased with himself. ‘Seriously, though. Why did you stop?’

Eleanor fought a strong desire to set the cocky vampire on fire and tensed her shoulders.

‘I’m hungry, Damon,’ she finally admitted, casting him an annoyed look. ‘This spell took a lot of my energy. Should I remind you there’s a human in here, and I can barely control myself?’

Elena gasped in fear and grabbed Stefan’s hand.

‘Stay away from me!’ she said through clenched teeth.

‘Don’t worry, dear,’ Ellie smirked. ‘On second thoughts, I would rather desiccate for an eternity than taste your blood again.’

‘Why? Don’t say you didn’t like it. I definitely heard you moan!’ Damon responded immediately, amusement written all over his face.

Eleanor rolled her eyes and collapsed on the couch, her palm pressed close to her forehead.

‘God help me! I am surrounded by idiots!’ she took a long sigh.

‘I guess it has something to do with Katherine,’ Stefan uttered thoughtfully, a hint of humor in his eyes. ‘You two didn’t exactly come along.’

‘To put it mildly,’ Ellie bit back her anger and threw up both hands in the air in exasperation. ‘I’ll feed on you, Damon, if you don’t bring me that wretched blood bag!’

‘Like hell, I will!’ he raised his voice indignantly. ‘I’m not your servant! Go and fetch it yourself.’

The blonde’s eyes flared in a silent warning, and an alluring smile spread to her lips.

‘I remember once you used to satisfy my every whim.’

Damon stared pointedly at her, furrowing his eyebrows.

‘Well, that was before. You know, when you were all sick and dying,' he spat, blind with cold rage.

Her head jerked back as if he had slapped her in the face.

‘How dare you!’ Eleanor screamed and jumped to her feet, trembling in suppressed fury. ‘I suggest you go and look at your reflection in the mirror because you have become just like your father! He loved to remind me of my weakness all the time.’

That instant, Damon was towering over her, bitterness curling hot and unstoppable in his gut. It had been a while since anybody managed to simmer him with fury. His eyes turned almost black with menace, but his voice remained cold and unperturbed.

‘Say it again, little witch, and I’ll drive a stake through your evil heart,’ he promised, studying her face intently, finding there no fear, just the familiar maddening stubbornness which made him want to smash everything around. 

Right now, he would do anything to break that impenetrable facade of hers to see that she was suffering just as much as he was.

‘I made friends with you only because my mother asked me to,’ Damon said bitterly without much thinking. ‘She always wanted me to do the right thing, to be a better person. But the truth is I have always felt nothing more than sad, tragic pity for the tiny, broken girl.’

For a few seconds, Ellie stared at him with a fixed, disoriented expression. Her upturned chin started to tremble, hot tears pouring uncontrollably from her wide-open blue eyes. She stood absolutely still and numb like a marble statue as if he had actually kept his promise and staked her.  Without saying a single word, Eleanor abruptly turned away from him, and in less than a second, she was gone. Damon couldn’t take his eyes from the emptiness where she had just been standing, guilt pounding heavily in his chest.

‘Bravo, Damon!’ Stefan chided, his eyes narrowed to stills. ‘You just couldn’t let it go, could you? Now we have a newborn vampire with magical powers running amok in the town.’

Elena took a deep breath she wasn’t aware she was holding and wet her dry lips.

‘What makes you think she is a newborn?’ the girl asked softly. ‘For all I know, she had been a vampire for at least 145 years!’

‘Ellie couldn’t control her cravings when she sensed you. She’s moody, aggressive, and unstable,’ Stefan rubbed his forehead wearily. ‘That makes me believe that she was turned right before being locked in the tomb.’

Suddenly his face grew dark with concern.

‘I haven’t noticed her wearing any jewelry. Have you, guys?’ Stefan asked anxiously.

‘No, she wasn’t wearing anything. Why do you ask?’ Elena sounded surprised.

‘The sun will be up in an hour,’ Damon woke up from his oblivion and headed for the entrance door. ‘And the stupid witch has no daylight ring to protect her.’

‘Can’t we just leave her alone?’ Elena grabbed his arm, her pretty face cast in doubt. ‘She’s dangerous, and I don’t want her to hurt you.’

‘Why do you care, Elena?’ the dark-haired vampire demanded, breaking free from her grasp. ‘Are you jealous?’

‘What? No!’ she cried out hastily, her mouth suddenly went dry. ‘She’s lost control. God knows what she can do to you!’

‘If she wanted to hurt Damon, believe me, nothing would have stopped her,’ Stefan said cautiously, dark suspicion smoldering in his eyes. ‘We must find her before she does something irreversible. Have you got any idea where she might be?’

‘Not in the slightest,’ Damon confessed irritably, stepping outside. ‘But we have to find her fast. I don’t want to be the one to face the psycho-mojo-vampire freak if she flips the switch.’

Stefan blocked his way and pushed him hard on the shoulder.

‘You are the one responsible for all of this!’ the blond vampire raised his voice and studied his brother with a level gaze. ‘So when you do find her, make sure she forgives you. However, I believe that it’s practically impossible since you’ve been such a jerk! What has gone into you? Threatening to stake her, telling all those ugly lies? It’s Eleanor, for God’s sake!’

‘You want to have this conversation now?’ Damon said impatiently, shaking his head in disbelief. ‘How about you stop lecturing me and move out of my way before this town burns to ashes?’

‘We will talk about it,’ Stefan promised gloomily, stepping aside.

‘Yeah, whatever,’ Damon snapped, and in a second, he was out of sight.

‘C’mon, we gotta find her,’ the younger vampire gave Elena a quick nod and headed for his car, wishing this nightmare would soon be over.

* * *

Ellie ran along the dark, sleepy town illuminated by the muted glow of street lamps. Everything felt so strange and alien to her. She didn’t recognize the streets that had changed dramatically with time. The time that was so violently taken away from her. 

Her lips were constantly quivering, and silent tears were streaming down her face, making it even more difficult to take her bearings. God, she had never cried so much before! As if a dam broke, and now all the water was pouring out in high waves like a tsunami. The pain from Damon’s words was rolling her insides in a tight knot. Ellie wanted to scream so much, let all that anger and anguish out, but she couldn’t find her voice. 

So she ran straight ahead to the only location she knew would still be there even after all these years. The sight of old lopsided monuments and gloomy headstones made her stop in her tracks and look around. Eleanor brushed away her tears, a bittersweet smile playing on her lips. 

She was at the town cemetery, the place that used to terrify her to the bones. Ellie could still remember the funeral of Lilian Salvatore as if it were yesterday. It was such a bright, sunny day that her coffin drowning in sweet white flowers seemed almost blasphemous. Ellie closed her eyes and saw Damon, holding his brother’s hand tightly, who was sobbing quietly despite their father’s warning look. Ellie could feel her despair rising as she watched her best friend standing still with dry eyes, staring with a fixed gaze at the freshly dug grave. She wanted to give him the comfort he needed so much but knew well that those intentions would be highly frowned upon by the prim residents. So Eleanor bit her lips violently and focused her attention on Damon. She was so horrified that she couldn’t think straight. An image of her own dead body lying in the coffin had been haunting her since childhood. That was one of the reasons why she would allow herself to do anything reckless so that she could feel alive as long as it was possible. But now, the fear was gone. She knew she still had a little time before the sunup. Soon the pain would be over and she would reunite with her parents. The thought was so reassuring that Eleanor felt almost happy.

Ellie was stepping gingerly along the narrow paths, looking at the tombstones. On a few melted candles had been placed in the memory; others were decorated by withered flowers and old keepsakes, destroyed by weather. At last, on her left, she saw what she was looking for. She briefly looked at the disturbed grave, littered with fresh lumps of earth lying around. 

‘So, Giuseppe, my dear husband, here we meet again,’ she whispered softly, her gaze unfocused. ‘It’s been years since I saw your face. It’s a pity I haven’t watched you die. I wonder whose stupid idea it was to bury my empty coffin next to you? Well, whoever it was they never knew it was you who murdered me. It seems that even in death I can’t be free of you. So be it’.

Eleanor turned around and saw another old cracked gravestone overgrown with moss. The girl knelt on the dewy grass and traced the carved letters with her fingers.

‘In a precious memory of Eleanor Isla Fell Salvatore’, she read out weakly. ‘Our beloved daughter and devoted wife. The last part is such a lie,’ she chuckled softly, noticing the first pale-yellow beams scattering the darkness away. 

Her time had come. Ellie shut her eyes and muffled a cry of sharp pain as her skin started to sizzle in the sun. Suddenly she felt a rapid movement of air behind her back and a familiar masculine smell enveloped her like a cloud. The girl tried to run away before it was too late, but she was too weak to fight back when Damon lifted her up from the ground, pressed her tightly to his body, and rushed with the speed of lightning to the nearest crypt. 

There, he placed her delicately on the floor and silently watched as the ugly burns on her skin gradually faded away.

‘You silly little girl! What only were you thinking about?’ he wondered, his voice breaking into a whisper. 

His cool palms touched her neck, forcing her to look directly into his fiery, piercing eyes. He was so devastated that Ellie immediately felt guilty and ashamed of her own weakness.

‘I just wanted the pain to stop,’ she said hoarsely, slumping her shoulders. ‘Why did you say that, Damon? It hurt me so much I wanted to die. Do you really hate me that much? Then why did you save me?’

He swallowed down a lump in his throat and looked into her eyes, his thumbs running light circles on her skin.

‘I don’t hate you,’ Damon finally said firmly. ‘It’s just...I couldn’t think of anything else when you told me I was like him. It all came rushing back to me. How you left me and then married him. Oh, I did hate you then. But I don’t anymore. I wasn’t thinking, Ellie. I’m so sorry.’

Ellie nodded her head, fresh tears of relief tickling her cheeks, and buried her face in his chest. Her fingers grabbed his leather jacket with such force as if her life depended on it. Damon placed his chin on the top of her head, his hands stroking through her long heavy strands. 

‘Don’t tell anyone, but I’m so glad that you’re not dead,’ he murmured, holding Ellie even closer, his body melting into hers. He felt at home. 

  
  



	7. In The Shadow Of Your Heart

Chapter 7

The thick, impenetrable darkness of the crypt had a calming effect on Ellie’s jangled nerves. Her vampire instincts still craved human blood, but at least now she felt a little better, knowing that Damon didn’t hate her after all. It was quiet and dim inside, so Eleanor lit some candles with her magic that made the gloomy surroundings look almost cozy and comforting. The vampires were sitting close to each other, with their backs pressed to the cold stone wall, her throbbing head resting on Damon’s shoulder. The girl hummed softly and took his hand in hers, studying their intertwined fingers with half-closed eyes.

‘So that’s how it is to be immortal,’ Eleanor’s deep blue eyes became glassy for a moment. ‘A continuous struggle with your tumultuous emotions and intolerable hunger for human blood. How...pathetic.’

Damon let out a light chuckle, laced with a hum of amusement at her tone.

‘It’s going to become better,’ he promised and stroked her hand. ‘I’ll teach you how to control your cravings, and once you feed regularly, you will become the master of your emotions again. I have to warn you, though - vampires still feel everything much more intense than humans.’

For a few moments, Ellie remained silent, contemplating over what he had just said.

‘Have you ever turned it off? Your humanity?’ she finally asked, waves of pain washing through her restless mind.

‘I did, once,’ he answered simply. ‘The problem is you can’t exactly shut it down. You only bury your emotions deep inside, but when you flip the switch back, everything rushes to the surface like an avalanche.’

‘God, I miss being human! Remember how things used to be simple and carefree before all that mess ruined our lives?’ she asked faintly. ‘How we would sneak to the waterfalls and play with the children slaves as nothing else ever mattered? How we would go horse-riding across the fields or compete who would run faster to the pond? You never let me win, you scoundrel!’

‘If I had, you would have stopped talking to me,’ Damon observed, chuckling light-heartedly. ‘You were so big on being fair and got furious whenever someone drew attention to your...condition. But, hey! You were always the best at stone skipping. Made me question my manhood.’

‘Actually, sometimes I had to use my magic to win in this one,’ Eleanor said, smiling timidly.

‘Eleanor Isla Fell, I’m appalled!’ Damon exclaimed in mock indignation, pushing her lightly with his shoulder. ‘So you had cheated all the time! Such an improper and undignified behavior for a virtuous young lady of your upbringing! Who did you get this from?’

‘Obviously from you!’ the girl grinned widely, meeting his warm gaze. ‘Cheating is second nature to you. I learned from the best.’

‘Yet, you’ve always managed to see right through my schemes,’ he reminded, his eyes laughing joyfully.

‘You know, I have missed this so much,’ she said with all fairness, staring into his captivating blue orbs. ‘Just being close to you and talking about the good old days. Do you think we could ever go back to this?’

Damon shook his head in confusion and looked around as if searching for the correct answer.

‘I wish I could say yes,’ he finally admitted, swallowing hard. ‘But I can’t trust you if you continue to keep secrets from me.’

‘I understand,’ she said quietly, her face somber. ‘I’ll tell you anything you want to know. But I expect you to do the same in return. Trust works both ways.’

‘Couldn’t agree more. So what would you like to know, little witch?’ Damon asked, squeezing her hand gently.

‘What were you doing in the tomb, Damon?’ her voice sounded almost like a whisper, forcing his heart to sink.

A pained grimace appeared on his face, and the vampire stared bitterly at the emptiness in front of him.

‘I was looking for Katherine, but the bitch was never there in the first place. Remember Annabel Zhu? I paid her a visit yesterday, and she kindly told me that Katherine always knew where to find me but didn’t even care to show up.’

Eleanor inhaled sharply and let go of his hand. Her throat tightened, and a slight tremor overtook her.

‘All those years...You have been chasing her all those years,’ she shook her head in shock, running her hand through her hair. ‘You must truly love her!’

This hideous realization was literally killing her. Ever since she met Katherine Pierce and knew about her dark secret, Ellie hoped that Damon’s insane obsession with the woman could be attained by compulsion, and maybe deep inside, he had some feelings for her. Apparently, her hopes and dreams would never become a reality as they simply were not destined to end up together. At this moment, Eleanor Fell felt like she was actually dead.

‘Look, the last thing I wanna do is to discuss my stupid feelings for the bloody woman,’ Damon breathed heavily, his muscles growing tense. ‘I fell for her, and she didn’t. Period.’

‘You didn’t deserve this. I am so sorry,’ Eleanor leaned back wearily and looked up at the vaulted ceiling.

She could see tiny rays of sunlight beginning to sneak through the cracks and the bits of dust swirling in a weightless dance.

‘You know, as a girl, I used to believe that love is pure and divine. That once you find the right person, you will be blessed with happiness, and nothing would possibly take it away from you. Maybe it’s true for some lucky ones. The others have to learn the hard way. Love makes you weak, selfish, and miserable. It is amazing how someone can break your heart, and yet somehow you go on loving them despite anything with all the tiny pieces until there is nothing left but a shadow of the person you once used to be.’

‘What the hell happened to you that made you so cynical? Are you talking about my father or that prince charming from the visions?’ Damon suddenly felt light dizziness rising from his abdomen to his head and studied the blond girl with a grim expression.

Ellie remained silent and sniffed quietly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She was so broken, fragile, and yet so breathtakingly beautiful that he wanted to embrace her in a warm and protective hug and never let go. Her face had become even paler than before, as she chuckled inwardly and a sad smile touched her lips.

‘I’m talking about you, Damon. It had always been you. I never loved your father or anyone else for that matter.’

‘Then why did you marry him?’ Damon’s voice was too loud, too confused, that she flinched involuntary, her throat burning with unshed tears.

‘I made a terrible mistake,’ she breathed out, closing her eyes shut. ‘It cost me everything, even my own life.’

‘What are you talking about?’ he seized her hand, a look of great bitterness sweeping across his face.

Eleanor winced sharply at her memories and began speaking in a toneless voice.

‘There is so much I have to tell you. It all started when I came back to Mystic Falls. I was feeling better; Elijah’s blood and Auntie’s spell did cure me. I was no longer dying but still pretty weak as any girl of my constitution. The worst thing though, I had no longer access to my magic.’

‘Wait a minute. Didn’t she promise to give Elijah the Original Witch? That sounds pretty creepy, by the way. Should I be scared?’ Damon’s eyes narrowed, a light look of playfulness sparkling in them.

‘She lied,’ Ellie shrugged her shoulders and leaned closer to him, whispering slyly. ‘You should never trust a witch.’

‘Ha, interesting! And here I thought I have trust issues when everybody else seems to be full of shit!’ his thick eyebrows were barely visible through his dark hair.

‘You should never doubt your instinct.’ Eleanor chuckled, failing to notice how his gaze dropped to her lips. ‘Anyway, Catriona never intended to give Elijah what he wanted, so she made my magic disappear somehow. When he demanded explanations, she told him that she would never turn her back on her own flesh and blood. I could tell he was furious, but he didn’t even say a word. He simply ripped her heart out from her chest and threw it at my feet, promising to come back for me later. That was the last time I had seen him.’

‘After the funeral, I decided to go back. I was so scared that Elijah might show up at my doorstep, I made the coachman literally burn up the road. My magic was gone for good, and I never felt so utterly useless and empty before, as if she took a part of my soul with her spell.’ ‘It was early morning when we finally arrived at my parents’ house, and I was nearly collapsing from the exhausting journey. The whole household was still sleeping, so I sneaked to my bedroom, hastily washed myself, and changed into a fresh dress. I didn’t want my parents to find out I was back before I got to see you first. All I could think of was your lovely eyes and charming smile. So before everybody would notice, I was already at the back door of the Salvatore residence. I quietly ascended the stairs and tiptoed to your chamber. My heart was pounding so loudly I thought it would wake everybody up. Obviously, I wasn’t thinking clearly. If I were caught red-handed in such an early hour in the close presence to a gentleman’s room, I would be ruined. But when it came down to you, I never really cared. Anyway, I took a deep breath and turned the doorknob gingerly. The door opened with a slight creak, and here you were, laying naked fast asleep on the bed with the most beautiful woman I have ever seen curled in your arms.’

Damon’s mouth went dry as he couldn’t take his stare off her anguished face.

‘I couldn’t move or even avert my eyes. I just kept gaping at the two of you, your hair all tangled on the pillows and lean bodies intertwined in perfect harmony. My mind went blank, and my lungs burst into flames when I tried to breathe. And then I ran, ran back home so fast as if the Devil himself was chasing after me. That was the first time my heart broke.’

For a whole while, Ellie remained silent. Sharing the most horrible and humiliating moments in her life with Damon of all the people took a great toll on her. She wanted to collapse on the floor in a disheveled heap and let the grief pour out of her. Ellie bit the inside of her cheek so hard, she felt a metallic taste in her mouth. She was sick of being such a crybaby. No, she would never allow herself to cry anymore! Enough with the self-pity, regrets, and tears. Ellie lifted her chin and stared brazenly into his quizzical eyes.

‘For a few days, I avoided going outside and stayed in, bonding with my family. Almost two years with Auntie Catriona have taught me a lot, especially how to hide my true feelings behind a mask of indifference. My parents didn’t suspect a thing. Besides, they were too preoccupied with other problems, such as dealing with a town swarming with vampires. Do you remember how we met at the soiree held by the Lockwoods?’

Damon’s eyes bore into hers as he opened and closed his mouth several times before forming the words.

‘I...I don't know. Everything seems so dull and colorless. When I try to remember you, I either feel anger or nothing at all. Damnit, don’t tell me I was compelled! I mean, I would have remembered that, right?’

‘May I?’ Ellie asked, stretching her hands to his head. ‘This might hurt.’

Damon gave her a knowing look and nodded in agreement. Her stomach churned over, and she felt sick for a moment. Eleanor gently stroked his temples, making his breath grow more ragged.

‘Don’t close your eyes,’ she asked, her pupils all black and dilated.

The dark-haired vampire nearly gasped as he felt the warmth radiating from her palms, burning his skin where she touched him. Once again, whenever their bodies seemed to meet even in the slightest caress, a tingling sensation of electrical sparks encircled him. Damon desperately wanted to touch her everywhere with his lips, just to see what it could possibly lead to. He fought an urge to run his fingers down her soft skin, imagining her hot mouth on his, and sank into a fiery abyss of her brazen eyes. Sudden splitting, unbearable pain erupted through his head, and Damon screamed in agony. He distinctly felt the taste of his own blood on his tongue, as his vision at first faded but then exploded with colorful pieces of half-forgotten memories.

It seemed like he used to have only half of those distorted images stored somewhere far at the back of his mind. Now those repressed memories were coming back to him, making him almost freeze to the ground. Damon remembered everything: how he saw Ellie from a distance that night, and his heart almost skipped with joy. She was still that beautiful, fragile girl with large blue eyes and an upturned chin that he had missed so much. He wanted to rush to her that instant but felt Katherine's grip on his arm as she whispered in his ear: ‘Don’t. She means nothing to you. Just some girl from your past who left you. You’re mine now.’ And he obeyed without any resistance, turned his attention back to Katherine, and continued to flirt with her as if nothing had happened.

He saw now how Ellie’s lovely face darkened and turned into a contorted mask when she gathered all her strength and approached them. How she almost died on the spot when he honored her with nothing but a polite nod and a cold greeting, devoid of any emotions. His exterior bore no affection or warmth, not even the tiniest hint of attachment. Damon didn’t even flinch when he saw his father on a dancefloor with Ellie in his arms, leaning close to her, much closer than the rules of common decency would allow, making the girl feel uncomfortable. Then Giuseppe told her something that forced her muscles to tense as she lost the rhythm of the waltz and awkwardly stumbled, her cheeks flushing crimson red. Eleanor freed from his hands, threw a few words at him, and stormed out, leaving his father with the most displeased countenance.

‘What did he tell you?’ Damon questioned, his face turning paper-white.

‘He saw me that morning in your house,’ Ellie felt like she was suffocating and shook her head helplessly. ‘And it was in his power to save or destroy me. That’s how I ended up marrying him a few weeks later. Giuseppe threatened to tell the whole town that I was damaged goods. It would ruin all my future marriage prospects, and my family would be shunned from the society.’

Damon balled his fingers into a fist and drove them through the wall with boiling fury.

‘That sick, bloody bastard!’ his pulse sped up, and he could feel his blood boiling in his veins. ‘And I just stood and did nothing to protect you from him!’

‘It’s not your fault. Nobody could protect me. You were compelled to forget your... affection to me,’ she caught his scraped hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. ‘It’s not the same as erasing somebody’s memories. Such compulsion is much more intricate and can remain even after death.’

‘I let you down, Ellie! I’ve never deserved to be your friend!’ Damon hung his head, feeling a terrible weight on his shoulders. ‘You were always there for me, no matter what it would cost you. And I was so self-absorbed and arrogant! All I could think of was how you left me all broken and alone. My pride was hurt, so I went to fight in the war for the cause I didn’t even believe in! Just not to stay in the place where everything reminded me of you. And then I chose to fall in love with Katherine because she was simply the complete opposite of you! It was my selfish choice that led him to you!’

‘Don’t you dare drown in self-loathing!’ she cried out indignantly in his face. ‘I also made my choice and take full responsibility for it! I could have told my father about Giuseppes’s advances. I could have married someone below our social position. I could have simply run away. But I have chosen to marry your father instead only to spite you! I was so blind with rage and jealousy that I wanted you to suffer as much as I did!’

‘So you were jealous,’ Damon’s eyes went searching hers as a playful smile spread the corners of his lips.

Ellie’s mouth went wide with shock. She threw her hands in the air in exhaustion and let out an exasperated moan.

‘Damon! After everything I have just said, you focus only on this part! Oh, you unbearable, conceited son of…’ she didn’t finish with her tirade because he suddenly was all over her.

His warm breath stroked her sensitive skin. A thrilling shiver coursed over her as his full, sensuous lips grazed her jaw, reaching the soft spot behind her ear. Damon pulled her closer, causing a bolt of burning heat to shoot down her center. Her lips parted beneath his prolonged kiss that bore more longing and promise than any words could possibly render. His arms were hard as stone, and his insistent mouth was parting her shaking lips with such an ardent yearning that it made her cling to him as the only solid thing in the spinning world around her.

'You were saying,' Damon suggestively raised his eyebrows, gasping for breath.

'Oh, just shut up and kiss me,' Ellie chuckled hoarsely and ran her fingers through his thick hair.

'Whatever the lady desires,' he murmured teasingly, as her arms found their way underneath his jacket, and she knotted her fists in his shirt, arching her back impatiently.

Damon growled low in his throat and kissed her long and repeatedly until they both lost track of time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, what do you guys think?


End file.
